House of Cards
by The Reader is Now Blind
Summary: My first AU fic, set in the Old West. Hitomi works at a whorehouse and Van is a poor ranchhand. Will their love survive the harshness of the open plains?
1. Prolouge Open the Pack

This is my first AU story, so I hope it doesn't suck. >  


**House of Cards**  
_Prologue/Open the Pack_

  
  
Well, howdy, stranger! I haven't seen you around this parts; where ya'll from? No matter, you're here now, and I bet your itchin' for a good yarn, ain't ya? Now mind you, this tale won't involve no "Once upon a time" or "In a land far, far away", for this 'ere is the West. Our men are strong and women wild, so you better accept our stories be different from some of you city folk are used to, and this story is no exception, that's for sure.  
  
Ah, good, none of you all are running for the hills like other yellow-bellies who have heard this legend before. It was during the time when they were REAL cowboys and desperadoes, and the Wild Wild West WAS really the Wild Wild West. Blood and whiskey flew freely in the streets, and if the women were any looser, you would swear they had no bones. Y'all might be wondering where the sheriff was during all this; he was there all right, lapping it all up with girls surrounding him at all times. The only time he drew his gun was over a woman, and he always won.  
  
The local pub was called Princess's, a whorehouse run by Princess herself. Nobody knew her real name, and anyone who dared to go against her was found the next day, drowned in the horse water tank with a knife through his back. No one usually went against Princess, probably because her prices were fair and she had the prettiest girls you could find for miles.  
  
Although there's old stories about gunfights and criminals at Princess's, there's also ones about love. This is one of them, but there's plenty of action for those seeking it. So help yourselves to some whiskey, and maybe some sarsaparilla for the younguns, and let's begin... 


	2. Shuffle the Deck

This is my first AU story, so I hope it doesn't suck. >  


**House of Cards**  
_Shuffle the Deck_

  
  
"Girls! Wake up! It's almost dawn!" Princess yelled up to the rooms above the bar. There was some shuffling upstairs, and then the pounding of 6 pairs of feet coming downstairs. They lined up for examination under the scrutiny of Princess' eyes. Looking them over once or twice, Princess suddenly barked, "Eries, take off that shawl and be a little more revealing, you look a like a nun in a church. Nariya, see if you can help tighten Eriya's corset, she looks like a heifer. And saints alive, Yukari, do something with that rat nest you call hair. The rest of you, you know what to do."  
  
The girls who were berated sullenly stomped upstairs as the others breathed a sigh of relief and went to busying themselves. Princess suddenly tugged the back of the neckline of one girl's dress and whispered in her ear, "Come into my office."  
  
Her 'office' was actually a large closet under the stairs, but Princess didn't call it anything else. Lighting the oil in her lantern, Princess ushered the girl inside and closed the door. "Darling, the reason I called you in here is because I need to talk to you, considering that you're new and all. Now what's your name again? Hitomi, ain't it?"  
  
"Yes ma'am, Hitomi Ka-"  
  
"Sugar, I don't need to know your full name, just Hitomi will do. Now Hitomi, I know this is your first week here, and I don't count care what your life was before joining us, but now you belong to me, do you understand? I've been allowing you to be only call girl for a couple days, but if you don't make some real money at the end of the month, I'm afraid I'll have to kick you out."  
  
Recognizing the look of horror on the girl's face, Princess couldn't help but chuckle. "Gawd, it's not as bad as you think it will be. You'll get used it."  
  
"But...but I have no idea how to!"  
  
Opening the door, Princess ushered Hitomi out. "Ask Merle to help you. She's been here probably as long as I have. Good luck honey."  
  
Hitomi turned back to face Princess only to have the door slammed in her face. Sighing, Hitomi sat down on a stool and promptly rested her head on the bar. "How the heck am I supposed do THAT?"  
  
"It's quite simple actually, and I'll explain it to you, as soon as you lift your head up so I can finish wiping off this counter," a voice answered, belonging to a woman Hitomi identified to be Merle. Although humans with animalistic features had been commonplace for a couple years, Hitomi was still shocked by Merle's cat-like features. "You'll help me with....with THAT?!"  
  
"Yes, THAT," Merle mimicked, a grin on the other girl's face. "You haven't been in this type of profession long if you still refer to it as THAT."  
  
"No, I guess not," Hitomi responded solemnly, looking downward. Merle lightly titled Hitomi's chin and exclaimed, "Cheer up, or you'll bother the customers. Now, the trick is to find a man you have a fancy too. Lucky enough, there's plenty of handsome men in this town that can't contain themselves in their pants. For example, the Sheriff is a favorite here, with his good likes and manners, he has every girl under his beckon and call, including Princess herself, though she'd never admit it."  
  
Not knowing how she would possibly be able to remember this all, Hitomi reiterated, "So, find someone I like, and then what?"  
  
"Well, try to get him to buy your services, of course. But if he has no money, drop him immediately. And Hitomi," Merle warned, "never fall in love with him."  
  



	3. Deal the Hand

I fixed the first two chapters so that it doesn't have the stupid "br>" thingy anymore. Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm sorry about the last two chappies being so short, this will be longer and with Hitomi's past like a lot of people wanted, as well as Van's past thrown into the mix. ^^;;  
  


**House of Cards**  
_Deal the Hand_

  
  
Overseeing his acres of fields with an approving grin, Dryden sighed in resignation, hardly believing what he was about to do as he called his foreman over. "Gaddess, c'mere for a second."  
  
"Yeah boss?" Gaddess answered, jogging up to Dryden, who chuckled and patted his foreman's back. "Everybody did good work today; this year's harvest is no doubt going to be a good 'un. Why don't you and the boys head out to town tonight after y'all clean up? With a little bonus on your usual pay, of course."  
  
There were whoops and hollers all around as former tired men finished their jobs with a new burst of energy, all shouting their plans out to each other.  
  
"First thing I'm going to do is buy a whole flask of whiskey! How about you Kio?"  
  
"Well, I was thinking of meeting with those one girls, maybe Princess..."  
  
"Are you crazy man? You couldn't make enough in your entire lifetime to even get a kiss from that lady! Now, I suggest Eriya, she'll fix you up real nice!"  
  
"And you might get her sister for a few extra!"  
  
Among the comadarie, Dryden noticed one of newer ranch hands disappear into the barn, seemingly uninterested in going with the others. He found the boy brushing out the hair of white mare in a back stall. Dryden remembered how only a few nights ago both the horse and the boy looked near death when they arrived on his doorstep. With reluctance he gave the young man the job he had begged Dryden for, only to be pleasantly surprised on the performance of the boy, who worked just as hard as the rest of the men, never complaining about anything. "Van, aren't you going with the rest of them?"  
  
Van shook his head, not looking up from his task. "Can't sir. Thank you for the invitation and all, but I'm saving that money up to...to pay off some of my late brother's debts."  
  
Noting the first piece of information Van had offered about himself, Dryden sighed dramatically, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Well, that's a shame. I'm not as generous this that often y'know. But if you want to grow up to be a boring old fogey like me, be my guest. Unless, you plan to meet secretly with one of my daughters instead. Now that wouldn't be the case, would it?"  
  
The boy grew alarmed at the thought, making Dryden smile inwardly. "N-no sir! Never!"  
  
"Just to make sure, why don't you go in town so I'll feel safer. You wouldn't have to spend any of your money, just take in the local scenery," Dryden joked, ushering Van towards his horse. "Go ahead, go before I change my mind and make you work the graveyard shift."  
  
Leading the horse out of the stall, Van climbed up on it and mumbled, "Yes sir....Thank you. C'mon Escaflowne."  
  
As he watched Van gallop off, Dryden grinned in disbelief. "Why do I think that someday that boy will be famous around these parts?"  
  
Not knowing of Dryden's amusement, Van glumly rode towards the town of Palas, a million thoughts running through his mind. He had promised himself that he would never again go to a place like what the other men suggested what Princess's was, but yet he sound found himself tying his horse Escaflowne to the hitching post in front of the building. There was no doubt that this was the infamous establishment; it was the only shop in town still open at this hour. Letting out a moan, he stepped through the swinging doors into a scene that he remembered from his childhood. Cigarette and pipe smoke hang in a heavy cloud in the air, girls in skimpy outfits dancing to ragtime piano music, and men drank heavily over a table with playing cards. Van was about to turn around an leave, for he would rather do more work for Dryden than stay, but suddenly Gaddess grabbed Van's shoulder and shouted in the boy's ear. "Van, glad you made it! C'mon sit down and relax!"  
  
Reluctantly being led to a table by Gaddess, Van was forced to sit down with three other men. The oldest man, eyeing the new addition, passed out five cards to each man at the table. Before Van could protest at being included, Gaddess picked up his own cards and scanned then, motioning to Van. "Pick up your hand. You do know how to play five card draw, don't ya?"  
  
"Sort of," Van muttered, reaching for his cards slowly, the feel of them burning his fingers. It seemed as all the vows he had made himself and his elder brother Folken were being broken one by one; Never go to a bar. Never gamble what you have. Never give up anything.  
  
As if on cue, the man next to him nudged Van's shoulder. "Hey, you didn't put down your ante."  
  
Van dug through his pockets until he placed a penny on the table. The other men whistled and one yelled sarcastically, "Look out boys! We got ourselves a big spender!"  
  
"All right! Settle down! Before we start betting, let's get some drinks on me!" Gaddess exclaimed, bellowing over to the bar. "Hey can we get 5 glasses of whiskey over here?"  
  
A meek girl with sandy brown hair and green eyes soon walked over with a tray. Van couldn't help but stare at her, causing her to blush under his gaze. Gaddess paid the girl, and asked, "What's your name, sugah? I haven't seen you here before."  
  
"Hitomi," the girl replied quietly before quickly returning to the bar. All the men except Van guffawed, suggesting lewd comments to each other about the skittish girl. Van, still mesmerized by Hitomi's haunted face, downed his glass without thinking, coughing as the liquid burned his throat. Gaddess hit him on the back, indignant with the boy. "Can't you drink whiskey right? All right, I'll open with fifty cents."  
  
All eyes turned to Van, who gulped visibly and stuttered, "F-fold."  
  
"Fine then. Gaddess, I see your fifty, and raise you a dollar," responded the man next to Van, and it went around the table. Van sighed in relief and slipped lower into his chair, nonchalantly watching the banter between the men, until it was just Gaddess and the dealer left. Cards were finally shown, and Gaddess whooped, "Yes! Three of a Kind!"  
  
The other men groaned as Gaddess wrapped his hands around the money, pulling it towards him. The dealer started to reach to shuffle the cards when Gaddess stopped him. "Van, I wanna see just what bad hand made you quit so early."  
  
His heart stopped in his chest, Van grimaced as he saw Gaddess widened expression at the sight of his hand. "Van, I thought you said you know how to play poker! This is a Four a Kind! You don't throw away cards like these!"  
  
"Yes sir," Van murmured apologetically, digging another penny out for the next game. This time he stayed in longer, though aggravating the other men by only raising the bet by pennies. Though, when he finally laid down his cards he wished he had folded again.  
  
"A damn Royal Flush! Van, you have one helluva case of beginner's luck!" Gaddess congratulated, though the other players weren't as forgiving. One grabbed Van's arm, roaring, "There's no way in hell! I say he's cheating!"  
  
The entire place grew silent as pulled his hand away and abruptly stood up. Instead of walking out like everyone thought he would, Van calmly removed his hat, his vest, his shirt, his trousers, his boots, every piece of clothing except his boxers. Then, with one darkly tanned arm, he flipped over the table on its side to expose the unmarred underneath. He did the same thing with his chair, and waited for someone to speak.  
  
Finally Gaddess announced, "Look, he's clean. Just say its luck and be done with it."  
  
Buttoning his clothes back up in front of the awed onlookers, Van tipped his hat and left through the doors. Once he was outside though, he felt the hot tears coursing down his cheeks as he unhitched Escaflowne.  
  
"Excuse me sir?"  
  
Hastily wiping his tears away, he turned to face the girl from the bar, Hitomi. "Yes?"  
  
"They asked me to give you this," Hitomi replied, handing over his earnings. Van shrugged and picked out his pennies. "You keep the rest."  
  
Hitomi looked up at him in disbelief, holding the money close to her chest. "T-thank you sir."  
  
Van had intended to get up on his horse and ride away, but the words came out on their own. "Everyone says that you're new here."  
  
Taken back by his frankness, Hitomi nodded sadly. "T-that's right. I ran away from home, because my parents wanted to marry a man I didn't love so he could take over the family plantation, not me. I wanted to show them that I could make it on my own. I guess I'm not doing a very good job of it though. I probably should go back. But its too hard to give up your pride, y'know?"  
  
Knowing all too well, Van was reminiscing about it before Hitomi questioned, "But what about you? Everyone says you're new too. And you seemed pretty upset about being called a cheater, even after you cleared."  
  
"It's like you said, 'its too hard to give up on your pride'. My brother Folken, he...he used to play poker all the time, and usually won too. But one day, I came home from school to find my house burning to the ground, and Folken shot in the back. There was a boy there, about my age, but hatred filled his eyes. And do you know what he said to me as I cried over my brother's dead body?" Van burst out, shaking with emotion, "He said, 'That's the proper way for a cheater to be buried.' Then I promised myself I would never fall into my brother's routine, yet here I am. It feels like I'm spitting on my brother's grave."  
  
Moving forward warily, Hitomi wrapped her arms around Van's quaking body, talking in hushed tones, "Shh, it'll be ok. It'll be ok..."  
  
Then glancing up to the stars above, Hitomi repeated the same words to herself. _It'll be okay HItomi. You'll be okay._  
A/N: Sorry for the delay of this chappie. Blame dumb old college. *shakes fist* I might add to this chapter later, but right now I'm sooo tired (it's 1:30 AM). By the way, for those who don't know, an ante is what you first put down before the deal.  
  



End file.
